A Brief History of
The Ridley Park United Methodist Church |
| The oldest record of the Ridley Park Methodist Church is in the Sunday School Board minutes, wherein we read: "A meeting was held on Thursday evening, February 5, 1891, at the home of Mrs. J.M. Bottomley for the purpose of organizing a Methodist Episcopal Sabbath School in the borough of Ridley Park." The meeting was opened by a motion that the Rev. E.E. Dickson act as chairman, since he was the pastor at Prospect Park with whose quarterly conference the work at Ridley Park was associated until the organization of its own quarterly conference. Thus the beginning of organized Methodism in Ridley Park was not as a church but as a Sunday School. |
| Ten days later, Sunday, February 15, 1891, the first session of the Sunday School was held in Ward's Hall on the second floor of the building at 29 E. Hinckley Avenue. There were six classes and an attendance of thirty. By the time the school was a year old there were 16 officers and teachers and 60 pupils. |
| On December 9, 1891, in the Prospect Methodist Episcopal Church, the organization and first quarterly meeting of the Ridley Park Methodist Episcopal Church was held with Dr. T.B. Neely as the Presiding Elder (presently known as District Superintendent). A charter was applied for on February 2, 1892, and was granted on July 5, 1892. The Epworth League was organized in 1892. |
| The church lot was purchased for the Ridley Park Association on January 7, 1895. The trustees who took title were: Hilary Marion, C.J. Urban, Frank D. Kane, Julius Smith, George P. Stackhouse, Job Smith, and Franklin P. Lewis. |
| The new church was dedicated on June 28, 1896, a year and a half after the lot was secured and a little over five years after the organization of the Sunday School, a truly remarkable achievement. |
| The years 1894-97 were a period of heroic effort as the little company of devoted Christians strained every nerve to acquire first the lot and then the church. On July 7, 1896, came the inevitable mortgage. For 23 years the congregation worked to pay it off, which they did on September 19, 1919: $3500 amounted to $3600. Long before that mortgage had been satisfied another one had been incurred to provide a parsonage. The parsonage lot was purchased January 12, 1901. The first parsonage was built in 1907. |
| In July, 1924 the Rev. Henry C. Turner appointed Brothers Lockwood, Forman, and Fridy as a committee to plan for the liquidation of the two outstanding mortgages: $3400 on the church, and $1150 on the parsonage, against which only $350 had been paid in 19 months on the church mortgage and only $200 in 34 months on the parsonage mortgage. They also undertook to raise approximately $2450 for certain necessary improvements, besides the interest. |
| During the pastorate of Dr. William T. Cherry (1926-36) the efforts of the above committee reached a successful conclusion. A "Red Letter Week" was designated, when on the evening of October 23, 1929, the last mortgage was burned by Franklin P. Lewis. For the first time in 33 years the church was entirely free from debt. |
| As the years passed, our church school grew so large that a new building was needed. During the pastorate of the Rev. Harry Swartz (1942-47) an appeal for funds netted about $20,000. When Rev. Swartz retired, Rev. Stuart A.L. Thomas undertook the task of building the new church school, and again there was a campaign for funds. The objective was changed because of the rapid increase both in our church membership and in the community our church was serving. The congregation decided to build a new church adjoining the old building which then became the church school. A building committee of 17 members was appointed with Mr. Guy C. Long as Chairman and Mr. Norris L. Hall as Campaign Chairman. Ground consecration service was held on February 13, 1949. The cost of $120,000 was paid in full by the end of 1954, and the church was dedicated and mortgage burned on May 1, 1955. |
| In the pastorate of Rev. Thomas, the church bought the lot immediately back of the parsonage on Tome St. (March 7, 1949). In the pastorate of Dr. Ralph B. McCuen, the lot on Tome St. between the church property and the St. Madeline School was donated to the church by Mr. and Mrs. Yosuke Nakano, members of the church (October 16, 1951). |
| An organ fund was started on January 1, 1955 for the purchase of a new Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ and chimes costing $16,250. The organ was dedicated on November 24, 1957, and completely paid for by June, 1958. |
| On March 2, 1959, in the seventh year of the pastorate of the Rev. Richard H. Jones, the congregation voted to tear down the old original church building and build a church school on the site, at a cost of approximately $200,000. In March, 1960, the house on Swarthmore Avenue next door to the church was bought ($16,400) to permit the building of a two-story structure instead of the originally intended three stories. Demolition of the old church was begun in August 1960. When the cornerstone of the old edifice was opened in 1960, Mr. Percy Kane and Miss Emma Kane were present. They had also been present when the cornerstone was laid in 1896. Mr. Walker H. Evans was Chairman of the building committee of the new church school. It was build to conform to the early English Gothic style of the recently build sanctuary to which it was attached. The cornerstone was laid and building consecrated on October 1, 1961. The building was completed at a cost of over $210,000. Besides a church parlor, a pastor's office with adjoining secretary's office, choir robing rooms, choir rehearsal room, and a modern kitchen. |
| In 1965, in the second year of Rev. Woodrow W. Kern's pastorate, it was decided to build a new parsonage rather than make extensive repairs on the old one. Mr. W. Willard Dennison served as Chairman of the building committee. The old building was demolished and the new parsonage was build by August, 1967. The consecration service was held on September 10, 1967. The cost was approximately $35,000. In 1968 a 2.5-car garage was added to the parsonage, donated in honor of the late Mrs. Ruth Broomall by her husband, Mr. Pennock S. Broomall. |
| In June 1969, the Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church were merged and become The United Methodist Church. |
| In June 1970 Rev. Merritt Godshalk came to our church. Under his leadership, the financial situation of the church has been strengthened. Systematic giving through commitment has increased. A detailed reporting of giving is supplied to each member. |
| Progress is made monthly on Debt Reduction for the church buildings. The project should be completed in about six years. |
| On May 23, 1973, by resolution of the Board of Trustees, the name of the Ridley Park Methodist Episcopal Church was changed to the Ridley Park United Methodist Church. The church charter was altered accordingly and brought up to date (as of October 7, 1973). |
| The spiritual life of the church has strengthened in part by five classes of various age groups studying the book The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience by Bishop Mack B. Stokes. |
| Many memorials have been given to the church. A book containing a record of these memorials and their donors is in a case which stands in the narthex of the church. The lid of the case may be raised and the pages turned by anyone interested in seeing who gave the various memorials. |
| A complete program of the church in mission is being carried on in every field of the church experience. |
| There are two good choirs: The Chancel Choir, with Mr. Frank Mader; The Children's Choir, with Mr. Robert Miller. |
| There are good groups for all ages in various fields; |
| The Church School has full course of study. |
| The Youth Fellowship is beautifully led by Mr. and Mrs. Philip Babiak (Mrs. Babiak is the former Marjorie Kern, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. W.W. Kern). They have had a wonderful response in their study, with the youth, of the book on The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience. They have also had many social activities with the youth. |
| The United Methodist Men have been doing maintenance work at the church as it is needed, and the ushering for Worship. |
| The United Methodist Women have a very good organization -- with a backbone of active, interested circles. |
| We look forward to continued growth, both in physical aspects and in spiritual development as we celebrate the Bicentennial Year of our Nation. |
| * * * * * * * |
| MINISTERS |
| W.H. Knapp | 1892-1893 |
| C.W. Dempsey | 1893-1896 |
| Francis Clemens, Jr. | 1896-1897 |
| William P. Brines | 1897-1898 |
| H.W. Millison | 1898-1900 |
| C.P. Futcher | 1900-1903 |
| John Watchorn | 1903-1906 |
| John H. Royer | 1906-1907 |
| Roland J. Garber | 1907-1909 |
| R.N. Hetherington | 1909-1911 |
| Bertram Shay | 1911-1916 |
| T.E. Redding | 1916-1917 |
| Luther H. Ketels | 1917-1918 |
| Henry Frankland | 1918-1919 |
| Clarence P. Felton | 1919-1921 |
| H.C. Turner | 1921-1926 |
| William T. Cherry | 1926-1936 |
| Samuel J. Maconaghy | 1936-1938 |
| E. Russell Elliott | 1938-1942 |
| Harry A. Swartz | 1942-1947 |
| Stuart A.L. Thomas | 1947-1951 |
| Ralph B. McCuen | 1951-1953 |
| Richard H. Jones | 1953-1953 |
| Woodrow W. Kern | 1963-1970 |
| Merritt Godshalk | 1970- |
|
| |
| WOMEN IN THE CHURCH ORGANIZATION |
| The Foreign Missionary Society of the Ridley Park Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in May of 1904. The Home Missionary Society was organized December 9, 1919. The Ladies Aid Society, a part of the Home Missionary Society, was organized in January 1921 as a sewing society which did home missionary work. It flourished until the late 1930's. |
| The above organizations were combined in 1940 to form the Women's Society of Christian Service (WSCS). The purpose of the Women's Society of Christian Service was to promote the development of the individual members in Christian living and Christian service, and to study and support foreign and home missionary efforts. Headquarters of this conference-wide organization were in New York City. |
| The Wesleyan Service Guild of the Ridley Park Methodist Church was organized in 1964. The members were women who had positions in business and therefore met at night. The Wesleyan Service Guild was also conference-wide. |
| The Women's Society of Christian Service and the Wesleyan Service Guild were very active, and were vital in the life of the church. |
| In 1972, the United Methodist Women (UMW) was formed from the Women's Society of Christian Service and The Wesleyan Service Guild by decree of the General Conference. The contributions of The United Methodist Women, spiritual and material, were a continuation of those of the organizations which preceded it. |
| AUXILIARIES: There are two women's auxiliaries in the church, not a part of the United Methodist Women: The Home for Children Auxiliary, and the Auxiliary for the Methodist Hospital (sewing). |
| |
| THE DORCAS SOCIETY |
| In June of 1924 a young women's class of the Ridley Park Methodist Sunday School was organized, and that October was named "The Young Women's Bible Class". This was a working, serving, groups with several very active committees. |
| In May of 1925 the name was changed to "Dorcas Young Women's Bible Class". Their teachers were, in turn, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Westerman, Mrs. Cherry (1928, wife of the pastor), and Mrs. Yocum who taught until the class was discontinued as a class. |
| The group remained intact as the "Dorcas Society", because of the enjoyment of being and working together. Peak membership was 34, limited by meeting space in their homes. Activities were many and varied, not the least of which were gifts on church debts and to the Building and General funds. In round numbers, they have contributed about $6000. |
| At present there are eighteen regular members, all of whom continue to enjoy giving of themselves and their funds to the church in a spirit of Christian fellowship. |
| |
| MEMORIAL FUND |
| During Rev. Kern's pastorate, the appointing of a committee on wills and legacies was discussed. In an Administrative Board meeting on April 9, 9169, a committee of three was set up to administer the "Memorial Fund": Mr. Brensinger, Chairman, Mr. MacFarland, Treasurer, and Mr. Childs. At the Administrative Board meeting of June 18, 1975, it was decided that a committee should be formed consisting of six members: The Chairperson of the Finance Committee, a Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, and three other members. |
| The principal in the Memorial Fund will be kept invested by the committee for a return on investment. The principal is currently $7000. Memorial gifts received by the Financial Secretary which are either undesignated or designated to the memorial Fund are turned over to the Treasurer of the Memorial Fund for investment, unless they are designated for a specific memorial by the family within six months of the time when the contributions are made. |
| |
| SERVICES OF THE CHURCH TO THE COMMUNITY |
| Golden Age Fellowship |
| The Golden Age Fellowship of Ridley Park was formed in 1964 by the Pastor, Rev. Woodrow W. Kern and a leading lay member, Mr. W. Willard Dennison. It was started as a gathering place for senior members of the church and community. It was and is intended for social purposes only. It is open to any session citizen regardless of his religions affiliation or residence. |
| The initial meeting consisted of 16 persons. They met in the Fellowship Hall of the church and have been meeting regularly since. The group has prospered and expanded until at this time it consists of 140 members with duly elected officers and committees. |
| The meetings or activities are schedules each year, with no meeting during July and August. The ladies of the church serve two luncheons each year for the group, one at Christmas time, and one in the spring. Two trips to points of interest are scheduled, one in the spring and one in the fall. |
| This organization is a fine example of what the church can do to promote Christian fellowship in the community. |
| Scouts |
| Five Scout groups have held meetings each week in the church school classrooms and Fellowship Hall of our church. |
| Voting Place for Precinct Three |
| For several years the Fellowship Hall of our church has been used as the voting place for Precinct Three of the borough. Proceeds to the church have been given to Taylor Hospital. Lunches have been served by the women of the church, the proceeds going to church needs and other worthy causes. |
| |
| | Committee on Records and History: |
| | W. Ellis Mann, Chairperson |
| | H. Woodward Childs |
| | Mrs. Walker H. Evans |
| | Marvin E. Galloway |
| |
| July 1, 1976 |
| More Publications |
